News Headlines:

Promising
swift and fitting punishment for the Delhi gang-rape accused, Congress President
Sonia Gandhi today said the nation's "beloved daughter" will get justice and her
fight will not go in vain.

"As a woman and mother, I understand how
you feel. I appeal you to remain calm and help strengthen our collective resolve
to fight the menace of violence against women," Gandhi, who is also the UPA
Chairperson, said in a televised address.

"Today all Indians feel as
they have lost their own beloved daughter, their cherished sister, a young woman
of 23 whose life full of hope, dream and promise was ahead of her. Our hearts go
out to her parents, family, the whole country shares their pain," she
said.

Appealing for peace and calm in wake of the tragic incident,
Gandhi said, "Today we pledge that she will get justice and that her fight will
not go in vain".

The Congress President said that the tragedy
"strengthens our resolve to fight with all our might and with all the powers of
our laws and our administration for the safety and protection of all women of
our country and to ensure swift and fitting punishment for the perpetrators of
such acts.

"It deepens our determination to battle the pervasive
shameful social attitudes and mindsets that allow men to rape and molest women
and girls with such impunity."

As people hit the streets expressing
their outrage over the tragedy, Gandhi said "to all of you who have expressed
their anger and anguish publicly, who have poured out in her support, I want to
assure you that your voice has been heard."

Gandhi had yesterday
sought speedy action against the perpetrators of the "barbarous" attack and had
hoped the victim undergoing treatment in Singapore
recovered.

Choosing to skip her customary New Year wishes on the
sidelines of the 127th Foundation Day of Congress at AICC headquarters in New
Delhi yesterday, Gandhi had said,"..Not so today because our thoughts are with
the young woman, who is fighting for her life after the barbarous
attack".

She had added, "Our only wish today is that she recovers and
comes back to us and that no time is lost in bringing the perpetrators of such a
barbarous act to justice".

The Congress chief had earlier shot off
strongly-worded letters to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Delhi Chief
Minister Shiela Diskhit wanting firm steps for the security of women in the
national capital, describing the incident as a "matter of shame".